World Food Day: Adeleke reaffirms commitment to sustaining food security
By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to sustaining food security in the state.
Adeleke, in a statement to mark World Food Day signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, directed more active delivery by the Food Security Implementation Committee he set up earlier in the year.
“As part of efforts to strengthen productivity of the sector, you all will recall our Government procured thirty-one (31) brand new Tractors. That delivery was the first phase with further delivery expected soon. We have since commenced the deployment process to local governments.
“This however includes installation of tracking devices on the tractors to secure the assets, the finalisation of a private sector based management of the assets and ongoing partnership with farmers’ association on the leasing of the tractors for farm use.
“Our immediate, short, medium and long term plans are to ensure sustainable usage of the tractors. We are targeting building a strong base for farm mechanisation including the building of a technical centre for maintenance of the tractors.
“To this end, our government has opened talks with the Machine Tools Limited at Osogbo to domesticate tractor production and maintenance. The synergy between the state and the Machine tool will also include expanding the technical skills and capacity of agropreneurs across Osun state.
“To that end, we have launched an agropreneur project which I promised earlier. Each local government is expected to provide at least 1000 hectares of land for a special incubation farming project for young agropreneurs. We have a productive partnership with the German Development Agency, GIZ to train and empower agropreneurs.
“To start with, the first phase of the training is focused on the cashew sector while the second training is focusing on rice production. The first phase of the training has been successfully completed. I commend GIZ, our partner, for its generous support for the agropreneur project.
“I however urge each local government to quickly make available the requested land for the farming project. The Commissioner for Agriculture and his counterpart for Local Government affairs should join hands to ensure availability of such lands as quickly as possible.
“We are building an agro based, export oriented state economy that will secure food security, expand food access to our people and provide jobs for our teeming youths.
“I want to assure you, our farmers, of our commitment to mechanisation and innovations. I attended a livestock conference in France in the last few days and we have learnt new practices about innovations in livestock farming.
“We strike partnership deals with French partners and even the office of the French Government on International Development. The Commissioner for Agriculture is following up on the understandings reached at the Livestock conference.
“Additionally, we have distributed herbicides, a variety of vegetable seedlings and fertilisers free of charge to support our farmers. These initiatives are part of our goal to establish Osun State as the agro-industrial capital of the Southwest region.”
